Lenovo’s gaming laptops are sometimes overlooked in the crowd of flashy gaming laptops because Lenovo is mostly associated with work and its flagship ThinkPad line has been our favorite business laptop. But some of its gaming laptops like the Legion 5 15 (2022) are surprisingly good, and the line gets refreshed regularly – the latest refresh was in March this year.
This go-round, Lenovo is upgrading its lineup of gaming PCs and monitors in the Legion series, introducing the latest and greatest hardware from Intel, AMD, and Nvidia to deliver peppy performance.
In the new lineup for 2023, there are new Legion Pro 7 and Legion Pro 5 laptops, as well as Legion Tower 7 and Legion Tower 5 desktops, all featuring flagship CPUs and GPUs. And the laptops have an AI chip to enhance performance.
Lenovo Legion 7 and Legion Pro 5 laptops:
- Lenovo Legion Pro 7
- Lenovo Legion Pro 7i
- Lenovo Legion Pro 5
- Lenovo Legion 5i
For its 2023 laptops line, Lenovo introduces four new models, or simply, two models that both arrive in Intel and AMD variants. The laptops are Lenovo Legion Pro 7, Legion Pro 7i, Legion Pro 5, and Legion Pro 5i all with 13th-gen Intel Core or AMD Ryzen 7000 series processors – HX models, specifically – paired with flagship Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs, which deliver enough power for gaming and creative tasks, and offer some efficiency improvement over the previous generations.
The Lenovo Legion and Lenovo Legion Pro 7i are the more powerful models, with a maximum TDP of 235W, which calls for a lot of cooling capacity. These laptops feature a ColdFront 5.0 with Hybrid Thermals, an advanced cooling system with an extra-wide vapor chamber to cover both the CPU and GPU. The CPU uses a liquid metal thermal interface to dissipate the heat.
On the other hand, the Lenovo Legion Pro 5 and Legion Pro 5i have a total maximum TDP of 200W, cooled by a ColdFront 5.0 system with dual fans, hybrid heat pipes, and a phase-change thermal compound.
All laptops in this line feature the new Lenovo LA AI chip, a dedicated chip designed to optimize performance and push the laptops to their extreme limits. This chip powers the Lenovo AI Engine+, a machine-learning algorithm that tweaks system performance to deliver the best possible gaming performance. Through the Lenovo Vantage app, gamers and creatives can also fine-tune performance settings like fan speeds.
Both the Lenovo Pro 7 and Legion Pro 5 families include 16-inch displays with a 16:10 aspect ratio, available with up to WQXGA (2560 X 1600) resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate. Both laptops also include RGB keyboards, but the Legion Pro 7 models have per-key lighting while the Legion Pro 5 laptops have four lighting zones.
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i – Is this the best laptop for gamers and creatives?
Having identified the newest technologies in Lenovo’s latest line of laptops, we can now look at the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i and get to see what makes it such a big deal among gamers and creators. As designed, the Legion Pro 7i is an all-in-one productivity powerhouse. It packs all the features you’d need in a gaming station, and the included smart features make it great for creative professionals. Is this the best laptop to replace your gaming/creative desktop? Let’s find out.
Powerful CPU and GPU combination
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i has the hardware to handle the top and heaviest AAA games at high settings. The top configuration in this line offers a 13th generation Intel Core or Ryzen 7000 series, a 2TB Gen 4 PCIe, and 32GB of RAM (DDR5, 6000 MHz in overclock mode).
Those top-tier chips are paired with dedicated graphics cards up to GeForce RTX 4090 (GDDR6, 16GB, 127 W) with Nvidia Ada Lovelace architecture, with ray tracing technology, AI-based neural graphics, and the lowest latency at ultra-high frame rates. This is enough power to run Cyberpunk 2077 and other titles at high settings without a pause.
Superior cooling system
Packing such hardware into a tiny, portable enclosure brings up an unexpected challenge – cooling and heat management. To address that challenge, Lenovo introduced the Legion Coldfront 5.0 multi-element system into its gaming machines, which is essentially the trick behind these gaming laptops. This core system consists of coolers that feature 3D blades with a thickness of just 0.1mm, and it also uses liquid metal to improve heat dissipation from the CPU and GPU.
Thanks to this sophisticated cooling system, the air intake and exhaust systems function efficiently by drawing air through the bottom grille and out through the vents on the sides and rear, effectively cooling the machine and maintaining maximum regardless of the load.
Lenovo PureSight gaming display technology
Beyond the internals, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i arrives with a fantastic display. The 16-inch WQXGA display has incredibly thin bezels and a 93.6% body-screen ratio. It covers 100% of the RGB color space and has a brightness of 500 nits. With gaming displays, we expect a high refresh rate, and this display maxes at 240Hz.
The display uses the LA2-Q AI chip, with support for Dolby Vision, HDR, and Nvidia G-Sync, which allow for the most immersive, highest quality, and most saturated image. This screen is certified by TÜV Rheinland and X-Rite Pantone, meaning you have a high-end panel that will satisfy both amateur and professional gamers and creatives alike.
Plethora of connectivity options
Connectivity is always a consideration when purchasing a laptop for creative work, and the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i doesn’t skimp on that. On the left side, you’ll find a USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 and USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 with DisplayPort 1.4 and a power supply (140W). The right side holds another USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a physical button for switching the camera shutter.
Other connectors that you don’t use often are located at the back: a pair of USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, HDMI 2.1, another USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 with DisplayPort and power, and RJ45 for wired network connection. In addition to physical ports, we also have WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 modules for wireless connections.
A perfect gaming keyboard
Lenovo offers the best keyboard in its ThinkPad line, and the same innovation has moved over to its gaming line. The Legion Pro 7i uses the Legion TruStrike gaming keyboard to satisfy the most demanding gamers.
The keyboard is full-size, with a numeric keypad and false alarm protection, with 1.5mm key travel and advanced customization options. As expected, the Legion Spectrum RGB backlighting is also included, letting you select the backlight mode for each button. Just like the keyboard, the backlighting of the ambient light strip is customizable.
Comprehensive Software and AI technologies
In addition to top-of-the-line hardware, Legion includes some forward-looking AI-based technologies in the Legion Pro 7i. They include:
- Lenovo Vantage: This software utility is essentially a universal control center that lets you configure your laptop based on usage needs. It gives access to a variety of functions, from adjusting the backlight to controlling overclocking.
- Support for Tobii technology: This utility brings a completely new gaming experience. Using a built-in 1080p camera, Tobii Horizon tracks head movements, adapts the image and expands the viewing angle, and even tracks screen usage time to automatically reduce the brightness level on the display and lock it.
- Lenovo AI Engine+: This algorithm is powered by the LA-2Q AI chip which optimizes system performance, thereby maintaining the best possible efficiency under any load. Its performance is based on a variety of system sensors, then the technology flexibly adjusts the main parameters for the best gaming experience. As such, it ensures that the player enjoys maximum performance not only at the beginning of using the laptop but for many years to come.
- Anti-reflective Coating: Yes
- Release Month: February
- Release Year: 2023
Bottom Line
Overall, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is a manifestation of unbridled power, intelligent functionality, and the most advanced version of AI technology combined into a single gaming laptop. The device arrives in a discreet body looks gorgeous and is made from environment-friendly materials.
The lower part of the case is partly made from recycled aluminum, and the upper part uses 30% recycled polymers. Lenovo says the Legion Pro 7i is the most environmentally friendly laptop in its line-up. Simply put, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i is one of those machines that will fit into any lifestyle and open unlimited possibilities for us all – whether you’re into gaming, content creation, or work, it’s money well spent.
Last update on 2024-06-25 at 18:44 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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